Electric switch



(No Model.)

L t e e h S s t e e h S S DI NW I Hm m JL E Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

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(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

AATORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JESSE IJ- IIINDS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE ELECTRIC ENGINEERING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,889, dated January 2, 1894,

Application filed May 16, 1892. Serial No. 433,082. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JESSE L. HINDS, of Syracuse,in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches, and has for its object the production of a simple and efiective device, which is practical in operation, ornamental in appearance and economicalin manufacture.

To this end it consists, essentially, in a base plate formed with a bearing opening, a movable lever carrying a contact plate, hinged to the base plate, a terminal support secured .to the base plate and formed with a contact plate for engaging the contact plate on the movable lever, a bearing openingfor registering with the corresponding opening in the base plate and with projecting arms extending from said bearing opening, a terminal having one end passed through the openings in the terminal support and base plate and engaged with the electric wire, a clamp for drawing the arms of the terminal support together and firmly engaging the terminal, and in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively top plan and side elevation of my improved invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view,

taken on line -33, Fig. 1. Fig; 41s a hori;

zontal sectional view, taken on line 4=.4, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view, taken on line -55, Fig. 1.

A represents the base plate, which may be formed of any desirable non-conducting material as porcelain, marble, slate, &c., best suited to harmonize with the furnishings of the room in which the switch is placed, or the demand of the user. As illustrated this base plate is rectangular, and is provided at its corners with upwardly projecting hubs movement of the plunger facilitates a-aaa and openings aa-a a through said plate and hubs forreceiving suitable screws or other desirable fastening means not illustrated.

B-'B-are upwardly projecting bearings, each formed at its upper extremity with a slot b and at its base with a projecting flange b. These bearings are held in position by suitable fasteningmeans as screws C having their shanks cengaged with the feet b and their heads-c' with the inner wall a of sockets a opening from the upper end or inner face of the plate ,-A'. The hearings or supports 'B*-B are each formed with a central guide -B'- within which is movable a plunger -B having its upper extremity formed with an engaging face b and its lower with a socket -b I'Vithin the socket b is one extremity of a spring -D having its other extremity resting upon the adjacent face of the base plate A.

-E is a lever having one extremity formed with a hand engaging portion c and the other with a fork e-. having the extremities -e of its opposite arms arranged within the slots b-b-- in the bearings 01' supports 'B-B and pivoted thereto by suitable pivots e -e The era tremities e e of the fork c' of the lever E are formed with a cam tooth E' adapted to, bear against the face b of the spring actuated plunger B within the upright supports or bearings -B. When the lever is in its normal position the lower end E of the cam E isat the rear side of a perpendicular tothe center of the pivot e so that the action of the spring actuated plunger B tends to hold the lever 0 'E-.,in its normal position. As the lever E-s is-rocked upwardly the point -E of thecam E passes to the opposite side of a perpendicular.. to.v the*pivot.e and the the 9 ward movement of the lever for effecting a quick breaking of the circuit as presently described, and the cam face -E- is so curved as to reduce to a minimum the amount of friction incidental to the engagement of the :00 plunger --B with said cam, and to permit the plunger to hold the lever in its upward positiorl until the hand engaging piece e' is forcibly depressed, whereupon the cam tooth --.E' depresses the plunger B Secured to the lever E- area suitable number of contact plates F,here-shown as downwardly extending lugs formed integral with the fork arms of said lever, and as four in number, since the switch illustrated plate. The adjacent ends g of each pair passing through the lower end of the contact of terminal supports are directly beneath the corresponding arms of the fork e'-- of the lever -E, and are provided with a pair of upwardly extending contact plates G'-. Their lower ends G-- of the contact plates are mounted in slots g'- in said ends of the terminals and are secured in position by pins or other suitable supports g plates and said ends of the terminals. These contact plates G'- are sufliciently separated, and are so arranged as to permit the passage between them of the corresponding contact plate F- formed upon the lever -E. The terminal supports G- are formed with bearing openings GL arranged above openings -A in the base plate A, and with arms G"- extending These terminals H are preferably for-med of a greaterlength than width, and are usually circular in cross section as illustrated, although they may, of course, be angular. The outer or upper ends hof the terminals are formed with a suitable ornament, and the inner ends are passed through the openings G in the corresponding terminal sup-.

ports -G, and the openings A in the base plate A-, and are suitably secured to the electric wire, Fig. 3, being preferably provided with an inwardly extending socket '-H' for receiving the end of the wire. The wires -w-wmay be secured within this socket in any suitable manner as by cement, or a small screw, not illustrated, extending into the socket. When the terminal is placed .within its support and is adjusted to the desired position the arms G of said terminal support are forcibly drawn together by a suitable clamp -.T-, here shown as an ordinary threaded screw, and the terminal is then firmly held in such position.

Whendesired to remove, replace, or re-adjust the terminal the screw J- may be loosened, and, when the terminal is returned to position, replaced, or re-adjusted, the screw may be again tightened and the terminal firmly held. It will thus be noted that the wires connected to my improved switch are entirely concealed on the inner or lower face of the base plate,and do not pass through\ said base plate for connection to a terminal,

as in the usual manner" This is a feature of great advantage, adds materially to the appearance of the switch, reduces to a minimum short circuiting, and facilitates the securement of the switch in position. Moreover, this peculiar construction of terminal supports and terminals is particu arly economical in manufacture, as the supports'are stamped or otherwise brought to the desired form by the use of suitable machinery.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description, and .it will be noted that the same is particularly practical, simple, pleasing in appearance, efiective in operation, and economical in manufacture.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination,a base plate, a terminal support fixed to the base plate and having a bearing opening and arms extending outwardly from the walls. of said opening, a terminal mounted in the bearing opening, a clamp for drawing the arms together and securing the terminal to its support, and an electric wire secured to said terminal substantially as described.

2. The combination with a base plate having an opening therethrough and a wire on the under or inner side of the plate; of a terminal support mounted on the opposite side of said plate and formed with a bearing openin g aligned with the opening in the plate and with arms extending outwardly from the walls of said opening, a terminal mounted in the bearing openings in the terminal support and base plate having its extremity-connected to the wire, and a clamp for drawing the arms together and securing the terminal to its support, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

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3. The combination with a base plate; of a 511,eee 3 and arms extending outwardly from the walls of said opening, a terminal mounted in the bearing opening and secured to the wire, a clamp for drawing the arms together and. securing the terminal to its support, a contact plate secured to the terminal support, and a movable contact plate for engaging the for- ,adapted to engage the contact plate on the lever and the other projecting laterally from said lever and provided with a bearing opening, arms extending outwardly from the walls of said opening, terminals having corresponding ends adjustable lengthwise in the bearing openings in the laterally projecting ends of the terminal supports and having their opposite ends secured to the electric wires. and clamps for drawing said arms together and securing said terminals in position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 31st day of March, 1892.

JESSE L. HINDS.

Witnesses:

CLARK H. NORTON, E. A. WEIsBURo. 

